Ex-NESL worker convicted in federal court

A former New England School of Law employee pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday on charges that he violated the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act by creating and cashing forged checks, according to the U.S Attorney’s Office.

On Oct. 6, former NESL controller Douglas Leman entered his plea before U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton, according to a statement from U.S Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz.

The prosecution said had the case proceeded to trial, the evidence would have proven that, between September 2008 and March 2011, when Leman was terminated from his job, he took advantage of his position by improperly entering the school’s accounting system.

Leman then manipulated the entries in order to generate checks payable to himself and his wife, Ortiz said in the statement, noting that the checks totaled $173,106.

He signed each check using the signature stamps of authorized NESL employees, she said.

Leman, who returns to court on Jan. 13 for sentencing, faces up to 10 years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release.

He will also be required to make full restitution in the approximate amount of $173,106.